Businesses in the Virgin Islands are raising strong opposition to the two Debit/Credit Bills proposed by Senator Kurt Vialet. Businesses have given various reasons for their opposition, but they all have one thing in common. Businesses use of Debit/Credit cards must be voluntary as in other U.S. jurisdictions. Not mandatory.
Legislation to force businesses in the Virgin Islands to accept Debit/Credit cards from customers will, unless Senators have facts to prove otherwise, make the Virgin Islands the sole U.S. Jurisdiction with such business law. Then, more likely than not, legal action may follow and could result in delay of implementation of the Bills that become law, for a long time.
To effectuate better services to users of Debit/Credit by some form of legislation, having posted signs on businesses informing customers of what form(s) of payment the business accepts is, appropriate.
There are too many flaws in the Bills and lack of relevant information that Senators promised after doing research on federal law relating to a business acceptance of Debit/Credit cards for goods or services provided.
Equality in the exercise of Business/Customer rights is absent from the Bills.
— Kelvin Dennie, St. Thomas taxi driver